The Garden.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 480, 14 June 1890, Page 6

The Garden.

(By HORTIS.)

Transplanting Trees. The usual planting season is now in, and a few lines to intending planters may bo of some value. In lifting and planting trees and shrubs there are one or two essentials which will assist in making the planting more or less a success. The first of these is, in carefully lifting each tree or shrub, to injuro as little as possible the roots or fibres. Of course it would almost bo an impossibility to lift either a tree or shrub without cutting some of the roots, but whenever such are cut sec that the cut is clean, nob broken or bruised. A clean cut will heal much quicker. The second consideration should be that after the br3es or shrubs are | lifted on no consideration should the roots be long exposed bo tho action of the air. If it is not convenient to plant as they are lifted, the roots should at once be covered up from the air. The best way to do this is to take and open a trench in the ground, place the roots in this trench, and cover them up with soil, gently treading the loose soil on top of them. If blio above is carefully done the roots will keep well for a few months if necessary, or bill planting in the permanent position can be undertaken. Planters who may be receiving consignments from a distance should at once unpack such trees and also treat them as above, neverallowing the trees to stay longer in the packages than can be helped. In planting where a considerable number of trees have to be planted it is better to get all the holes dug and prepared before planting begins, so that when a start is made it can be conducted expeditiously. In digging the holes they, of course, should always be made considerably larger than the space the roots will immediately occupy. Often I have seen roots crammed into holes which could hardly possibly contain them. Now, under such circumstances, it was scarcely possible for trees to succeed. Whenever the roots made a start to grow they came in contact with the hard unwrought soil on each side of them, making it almost an impossibility for them to get a good start. The hole should be dug to such a width that the roots should at least have from one to two feet of good soil outside to make a start upon. Where it is only one or two year old plants that are to to be dealt with, the holes should be dug co a width of at least four feet, and a greater width is preferable. The depth to which a hole is dug should also have consideration. For the same class of trees as are mentioned above, about twenty inches deep would be a good average. Of course, for large trees the width and depth must be regulated by the width and depth of' the roots to be covered. After digging the holes they should be partly filled up again if possible. This filling should only be with good surface soil, not with the clay or subsoil already taken out. Partly filling up the holes as they are dug will greatly facilitate the planting. To plant troes properly it takes two men, one to hold the tree in the proper position and the other to place soil on top of the roots till they are covered. They should proceed as follows :—One man takes up the tree, places it in the hole to see whether it is filled up to the proper depth. The other should be ready either to put more loose soil in the hole or take out some if there is too much in already. Here recollect that each tree should be planted only about the depth it had formerly occupied in the ground. When the hole is ready the tree should be placed in the centre, and hold upright. One man should place loose soil on top of the roots. As this is proceeding the one holding the tree should gently lift it upwards and downwards, so that the soil may be wrought into the intricacies about the roots. After the roots are covered, the soil should be firmly pressed by the feet. When this is done, level a little more soil over the surface, and proceed to the next tree. After all the planting is completed, every tree should be firmly staked, to prevent it from being worked backwards and forwards with the wind. Trees that are not staked, by working about, cause the soil to puddle at the base of the treee. This puddle will become in time sour, which will be very injurious to the roots, and also prevent it from getting a good start. Another matter which should be attended to is never either to dig the holes or plant trees while the soil is in a wet adhesive state ; rather defer operations till a few days of fine weather set in. The future well-being of the tree will greatly depend on the state of the soil while the trees are being planted. Another great consideration is to get all planting done as early in the season as possible ; never defer it till late in winter or early in the’spring. Eai’ly winter planting is the best, as the trees get well settled during the winter and are ready to start into vigorous growth with the first advance of spring. Next week I will deal with the pruning of transplanted trees and shrubs.

A. SOUTHERN TOUR (Continued).

Kerr and Barnett’s Nursery.

This nursery is situated in Richmond, a subuib of Christchurch. Ac the entrance of the nursery there are a large number of cool frames devoted to the raising of thousands of young forest trees, principally conifera seedlings. After looking at these for some time, I proceeded up the main walk. Here the nursory was cub up into large squares or breaks. Each of the breaks was filled with a various assortment of young nursery stock ranging from one to two years of age. The first break was filled with roses, of which this firm has a number of varieties. The nexc breaks were filled with VVellingbonia, Cupressus, etc., and the next with a fine assortment of Piceas, Juniperes, etc. There was also a fine break of Auricaria imbricata, also a splendid break of young Larch, two years old. These were nice handsome little plants which will make fine stock for planting out this season. There were also some fine large breaks of various pine trees just a good size for planting out. Here there were some fine pear trees about four years old, with a fine crop of fruit just coming to maturity. Young apple trees were also well represented, and there were several large breaks planted with a great number of varieties. Numbers of the young advanced trees were carryingfair crops offruit. I also saw a very fine tree of a new vai-iety of crab apple, Malus Spectabilis Biverosi, the fruit of which is x-ather larger than a good size mandarin orange. This makes a fine handsome tree, and would look well anywhere, especially when it is covered with its bright scarlet and yellow fruit. There were also several fine breaks filled with plums,walnuts,peaches,nectarines,etc. In this nursery there was a nice compact range of glass and cool frames. The usual stock of nursery pot plants was here' in numbers, just a nice small size for market. In the cool frames, I observed a large number of the ornamental Japanese coniferse, shrubs, etc. This class of plants does well in Canterbury; in the Christchurch Public Gardens I observed aoxiie splendid specimens which were obtained from this firm. In this nursery some attention has been paid towards importing hardy heaths,

and the results have been very satisfactory, as in one compartment there was a very fine collection. Here there was also a fine collection of rhododendrons, azaleas, etc., of which the firm has a fair stock. The nursery altogether contains eight acres, tho: oughly stocked with good selections of young nursery plants.